BOB'S OFFICE. MORNING. BOB AND DAVID ARE GOING THROUGH A STACK OF MEDICAL HISTORY FOLDERS ON THE DESK. BOB LOOKS VERY TIRED.

DAVID...Dr. Dixon has offered to look out for all of Dr. Shea's office patients until other arrangements are made. He's familiar with many of them anyhow.

BOB(INDICATING A GROUP OF FOLDERS) Fine. And I'll take over this batch -- A through G. (A GRIM SMILE) A pretty cold-blooded way for a doctor to parcel out responsibility for a lot of human lives, isn't it? Alphabetically.

DAVIDWhy not? If a patient is lucky and keeps getting the right doctor, he could live forever. (INDICATING ANOTHER GROUP OF FOLDERS) I'll take these -- H through R.

BOBYou know, David, I wonder how the patients feel when the doctor they've always believed in and counted on turns out to be just a mortal -- and weak and vulnerable -- as they are.

DAVIDWell, I'm sure they're going to be quite upset and disillusioned, more than if he had died a -- more conventional death. It will have a depressing effect on morale here in the hospital and we may even lose a few patients. But --

BOBBut?

DAVIDIn a couple of months, it will all be forgotten and everything will be back to normal, because deep down, the patients knew all the time that doctors die just like everyone else. They just didn't want to admit it. It's simply a matter of -- (THE TELEPHONE RINGS. BOB PICKS IT UP, ANSWERS)

BOBDr. Hughes... Oh? ...Miss Thompson? How long ago? All right, put in a call for the emergency oxygen equipment, I'll be right down. (HANGS UP, STARTS TO EXIT. IN HIS FATIGUE, HE TRIPS, ALMOST FALLS, RECOVERS)

DAVID(HELPS HIM) Bob, you haven't had any sleep since -- Shea was killed. Go home and get to bed, I'll follow up with your patient.

BOBThanks, David -- but no. Miss Thompson is my patient. I have to follow up with her myself.

DAVIDI'm a pretty good doctor.

BOB(GRINS) Would you let me do it for you -- even if you were twice as tired as I am?

DAVID(BEAT, THEN GRINS) Come on, Doctor -- I'll help you in case you try to fall down again.

TAKE THEM AS THEY EXIT.DISSOLVE TO:MISS THOMPSON'S HOSPITAL ROOM. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER. MISS THOMPSON IS IN BED BREATHING HEAVILY. BOB STANDS BESIDE HER, LISTENING THROUGH HIS STETHOSCOPE, DAVID NEARBY.

DAVIDWhat do you think?

BOBI don't know -- it's strange. She's terminal -- and she knew it. But for weeks she's been fighting to stay alive, as though she had some unfinished business in life. (BEAT) But now she seems different -- I almost feel that she's somehow reached her goal and has no more reason to keep on fighting.